Velvet for Christmas

Cracking find by Lee Johnson yesterday on the O reservoir yesterday and still about to at least 3pm today was this velvet scoter - the first for a good while (none in my tenure).  He managed this fine picture of it from the viewing screen:

Also brightening up proceedings and again an uncommon visitor to the reserve was a red breasted merganser on the res too.  An exciting couple of days on the water with 2 Mediterranean gull, little gull and red crested pochard on D too.  Female scaup had been present up to the 21st and there are plenty of goldeneye now in the throng of spring - Brian Colley:

Plenty of wildfowl on Watton:

Mallards amongst everything looking their best:

A certain highlight however have been bittern; they've yet to be seen elsewhere but appear to roost nightly at Watton Nature Reserve - two being seen on the 19th - Steve Hines captured these shots of one:



Perhaps surprising has been the lack of notable geese amongst the sedentary greylags this year - no white fronts or pink feet as yet - Brian Colley:

There's plenty on the passerine front too - Roy Vincent captured these of bullfinch:

Chaffinch:

Willow tit always popular:

 

Marsh tit:

Coal tit:

Blue tit:

Great tit:

And masses of thrushes such as blackbird:

Goldfinch by Darren Smith:



For anyone wishing to see all the above and more we'll be running the popular year listing event on January the 1st.  We aim to keep a running tally through the day of species found which can be into the 70's; Two walks will be running with one at 10am and another at 1pm to try and rack up as many species as possible - free with standard admission no booking necessary.

Common buzzards over the reserve - Roy Vincent:

And Brian Colley:

Kingfisher still showy on North Marsh by Bruce Pillinger:

And a nice winter speciality was this green sandpiper by Brian Colley - seen a couple of times of late both on Hempholme and South Marsh East:

Chiffchaff on the 6th was another token winter straggler.

A reminder too that we'll be looking through this years photos submitted to the blog or flickr for the new membership card - closing date 31st Dec.  Winner gets a years membership.   

Just a note to say thanks to everyone who has helped out on the reserve this year - many hours of great volunteer work helping out in conservation and survey work and visitor help have been given.  If blogging has been a bit Spartan of late it is because we've been doing a lot of planning and prep work for habitat work this winter - crowning work of which is a project to return North Lagoons back into operation; So some great things to look forward to in 2015. 

Last one an otter in North Marsh by Roy Vincent recently;